Larkin Eating Tour

[larochelle]

Some friends will be in town next weekend and I was thinking of taking them on an eating tour of the cheap eats places in the Larkin/Geary vicinty. Below is a first draft of the restaurants and their best dish. The idea is to stop at each place and only order one thing.

Did I miss any place great? Any dish edits?

Mangosteen - 601 Larkin - http://www.mangosteensf.com/index.html
Spicy Garlic Noodles & Lemongrass Beef

Bodega Bistro - 607 Larkin
Green Papaya Salad

Bambuddha Lounge - 601 Eddy -http://www.bambuddhalounge.com/
poolside cocktail stop

Turtle Tower - 631 Larkin
Pho Ga or Imperial Rolls

Pagolac - 655 Larkin
Beef 7 Ways dinner or Raw Beef Salad

Olive - 743 Larkin
cocktail stop

Mekong Restaurant - 791 O'Farrell
Yellow pumpkin curry

Sai Jai Thai - 771 O'Farrell
Pork Shoulder Salad

Lahore Karahi - 612 O'Farrell
Chicken Jalfrezi

Thai House Express - 901 Larkin
Chan Pad Pu or Pork Leg Stew over rice

Whisky Thieves - 839 Geary
cocktail stop

A la Turka - 869 Geary
Patucan Biber Kizartma
http://www.alaturcasf.com/Menu.html

[Lori SF]

Darbar- sarson ka saag is sooo good, made with Fresh mustard greens- on Polk btw-calif. and pine, or would that be Polk Gulch not sure where tenderloin actually ends

Ngoc Mai- has the wonderful Vietnamese noodle soup, the bun rieu (snailess, thank god) is delicious- 547 Hyde

I like your post!

opps I just realize you are not venturing off Larkin literally.. well try these another time.

[cjp]

I would vote for a trip to Pagolac over Bodega--get the lotus root salad and pork spring rolls; however, if you have your heart set on something from the 7 course beef menu, I agree on the raw beef salad.

[larochelle]

I don't have my heart set on anything other ordering the dish at each restaurant does best and seeing how many places we can get through before we become stuffed and have to stop.

[Robert Lauriston]

Every time I eat at Bodega I wonder why I don't go there more often.

Probably mostly because Thai House Express is so close.

[david kaplan]

I'd add the larb gai at Bang San, the halal Thai place on Jones (& O'Farrell?). Served warm because it is cooked to order from raw ground meat.

[pane]

At Lahore Karahi, tandoori fish every time. It's fantastic, and while it definitely has some oil in it, it may be a lighter alternative to some of your buttery, beefy, porky options.

If Tajine is open by then, it might also be a good stop a bit further away (Polk at Pine, I think).

[shortexact]

Second for tandoori fish at Lahore Karahi.

Bun rieu at Ngoc Mai (Hyde, just south of Geary) can also be mighty tasty, but you already have some nice Vietnamese choices on that list too.

[Windy]

One problem based on my own similar attempts is they're all so close together. Might be good to include a few spots farther afield (the farmer's market if it's Sunday); Red Door at Larkin and California; and if possible a non-food stop or two so you have a little time to digest.

If you get the full dinner at Pagolac, you will have trouble putting anything else in your mouth. Not just beef--beef with butter. I started to beg for mercy half way through last time, and we hadn't been carousing around Larkin beforehand.

Edinburgh Castle should be on the list for a single malt.

[artemis]

the banh con (sp!) at bodega bistro are also not missable. chan pad poo (their spelling; though yours is more elegant) is definetely the way to go. what about banh mi at saigon sandwich or wrap delight or baguette express?

i'm really looking forward to the report!